Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-04-14
HOME LIFE IN PARIS.
Views of an American Who Looks at Its
Bright Side Only.

Bright Side Only.
The French people seem to be as
busy as bees in hive. Industry
active, earnest and pefsistent-is the
rule. A striking feature of this in
dustry is found in the fact that persons
of all ages and both sexes, gray-haired
men and gray-haired women, wrinkled
not only by age but by toll, are seen in
Paris in a larger proportion than else
where, all alike engaged in some in
dustrial avocation. Woman, in the
humber walks of life, seems in France
more general helpmeet than in the
United States. Many French women
are surprisingly hale and strong. In
Paris, woman is everywhere toiler,
as much so as man. If burden is to
be borne, she is there to share the bur-
den. If hand-cart is to be drawn,
she is harnessed with man, and sup
plies her full share of the strength to
draw the vehicle.
This union of men and women in the
clIuSSi loI HOucsu LIVELIHOOD lldo "
moral as well as material significance
1t not only accounts for the fact that
this people usually have cash on hand,
but it is the cause of results still more
important and precious, for out of this
mutually and inter-dependence in
bearing the burdens of life, spring hon
orable social and domestic relations.
Even among the humblest and poorest
classes in Paris the family is an institu-
ton for ideal sacredness. 1t may be
true that the French have no name for
home, but it is not true that the real
thing that constitutes home does not
exist in France. A French home is a
real home-a priced home. This union
of effort of which l have spoken tells of
husband and wife, of parent and child,
of love and affection. 1t tells of willing
sacrifice of individual ease for the i'm
| provement of the conditions of exist
ence for all. No people who thus love
one another, and who thus labor to-
gether, can justly be regarded as given
over to destruction.
But industry is not the only strong
point in the lives of these Parisians
There is here wholesome spirit of
wise economy, from which we in
America might well take lesson.
Nothing here that can be valuable or
useful to man is permitted to 90 to
waste There is economy in the use of
time, space and every thing else. Many
boys and girls wear wooden shoes.
Rage, bones, candle-ends, bits of meat,
fragments of paper, are all saved and
turned to account in one way or anoth-
er. There is especial economy and
care in the use of fuel. Looking over
the city from the towers of Notre Dame,
| observed many chimneys, but little
smoke. In passing the dwellings Of
almost any locality at night you
will see many windows, but
little light. We hear of fewer
lamp explosions in Paris, fol
single candle is used where we would
have three or four lamps. Great fires
seldom occur. There are ten fires in
New York to one in Paris. | have
heard no iire-bells, and have seen but
one ire-engine during the two month,
that | have spent here. All labor il
here held in honor-all useful calling,
are respectable. Every one accords tn,
right of way to him who bears the bur
den. No one seems ashamed of hi
! ayocation. | notice that the porter
the boot-blacf, the coachman, TIL,
street cleaner, even the rag-picker, eacl
wears the badge of his calling bravely
The maid-servant, the shop-girl, tn,
needle-woman, wears each her cap o
bonnet, or goes uncapped and unbon
neted with equal unconcern as to wha
the crowd may say or think. And wei
, she may, for however cheap or coars
may be her apparel, she seldom fails t.
make neat and tidy appearance
Paris Cor. MilUdUkee Sentinel.